A Mother's Love
by trallgorda
Summary: Sloth's feelings become too much for her, and she does something desperate...What will the Elrics do? Ed, Al, and Sloth.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I do not know why I feel this way. I just know that I do. I prowl the hallways here at Central, and I stand outside their room, reveling in the fact that they are in there asleep. Sometimes, I make my way into their room and watch them sleep, feeling a pang of joy and wonder each time they breathe.

Since their restoration, the two children had been driving me mad. Their search for the Philosopher's Stone had proven unsuccessful, but they had found a powerful restorative instead, that had brought back Al's body and restored what was missing of Ed's. It turned out that the Stone had not been necessary after all. I accepted that fact and got on with my life, but still, these strange feelings took hold of me.

Because they had no family and because Ed was a State Alchemist, they stayed in the dormitories in Central. They had no idea that I was what I was, and they had no inkling of it. Also, they did not know how I felt. I did not intend for them to know until I was ready to let them.

I made my plans carefully. It did not matter what Pride said, I was going to do as I wished without any interference from him. He accepted my decision, but he did not like it. It didn't matter.

Late one night, when I knew they would be sleeping deeply due to a large amount of work that a certain secretary had given them, I crept to their room with a bottle of chloroform and a handkerchief in my hands. I slipped inside, and I sedated Al first. A handkerchief soaked with chloroform would make a human lose consciousness for a short while, and it was just long enough for me to get them away. Al, feeling a hand over his mouth and nose, fought for a moment, but he was unable to pull away from me. He slipped into sleep, and I moved on to his brother. Ed was not so easy. He woke the moment I touched him and fought like a mad wildcat, shouting the whole time for help, but there was no one nearby and no one came. I held him closely, keeping the handkerchief locked over his face, and cursing me, he slept.

Picking up both of them, I carried them away to the place I had prepared, and I was looking forward to what was coming.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Brother?"

That one word served to bring Ed out of a sound sleep and into waking. His eyes opened and he leapt out of bed, looking around for any possible enemies.

"Al?" he said, surprised. "Where are we?"

"I don't know," Al answered worriedly. "I mean, I woke up, and we were here. Brother, what do we do?"

"We get out of here, that's what," Ed said grimly, examining the room. "I don't know who brought us here or why, but…" He stopped, remembering something that sent chills down his spine.

"What is it?" Al asked.

"I remember waking up last night, and someone was in our room at HQ," Ed told him. "He wasn't someone I can remember, and he doesn't really resemble anyone we know, either. The last thing I can remember was having a handkerchief pressed over my face."

Al turned a little paler than he had been. "Let's get out of here."

Ed nodded. The room looked like a normal bedroom, done in blue and white. It had two twin beds with blue bedspreads, a bright blue rug on the floor, blue denim curtains, white walls, a desk with two chairs, a bookcase full of books, a dresser with a mirror, and a model train sitting on top of the bookshelf. Neither Ed nor Al knew what to think. They had been kidnapped and brought here? Why? Why would any kidnappers go to all the trouble of making sure they had a pleasant room? It didn't make sense.

Their clothes had been draped conveniently over a chair, so the brothers threw off their pajamas and dressed, wasting no time on getting out of there. Ed was prepared to kick the door down, but Al tried the knob first. To both of the brothers' surprise, the door was not locked.

"I'll go first, and you come after me," Ed whispered and gave Al a thumbs-up when his brother nodded.

Ed slipped into the hallway while Al followed close behind him. Down the hall and towards the stairs they went, taking care to make no noise. They had just reached the top of the stairs when someone calling up to them scared them almost senseless.

"Ed! Al! It's breakfast time! Come on, now, sleepyheads!"

The brothers exchanged looks, too surprised to even think. Kidnappers treating them to breakfast? Calling them sleepyheads?That did not make sense. What didn't make any sense at all was that the voice of the kidnapper was a woman's. What was going on here?

Ed continued down the stairs, followed by Al, and they reached an entryway. Ed was reaching for the front door when a voice behind them made them both jump and whirl around.

"Boys? What are you doing?"

Ed dropped into a defensive crouch with his fists up, ready to fight, but he stopped and stared at the woman who stood there. She looked very, very familiar, and her voice was familiar too, but he couldn't think who she reminded him of.

"Wh-who are you?" Al stammered out, staring at the woman as well. "Did you bring us here?"

The woman's pleasant face became stern. "What game are you two playing?" she asked, sounding a little angry and a little hurt. "Why are you two acting as if you don't know me?"

"Well, you _look_ familiar," Ed said, not breaking out of his crouch. He examined the woman a bit and his eyes went wide, not wanting to believe what he saw.

"Brother," Al whispered, sounding very afraid. "She looks like Mom."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Ed snapped. "It's not possible!"

"Well, of course I look like your mom," the woman said, laughing. "Silly boys, no more games now. I _am _your mother."

Both Elrics stared at her, their white faces wearing almost identical expressions of horror.

Space

Sloth:

It was easy enough to sneak both boys out of Central. It was also too easy to make certain that they didn't recognize me by mixing my features and making myself resemble a male. I took them both to a small town a few hours away from Central, and once we reached the home I had bought and prepared for them, I took them inside and put them to bed.

It would be difficult to convince them that I was their mother, so I made myself look somewhat different to begin with. They would be confused by the difference, but over time I would phase it out, and they wouldn't question it. The use of a tiny bit of sleeping powder every day in their foodwould cloud their minds and make it difficult for them to think about anything for very long, and over time, they would cease to wonder how their mother had come back from the dead. Of course, I was determined to make them think Trisha had never died. I was going to convince them that it had all been a bad dream. It would take time, but I could be patient. Once I had convinced them, I wouldn't need to use sleeping powder on them any longer.

I was in the kitchen, making breakfast for both of them, when I heard some slight noise upstairs. I smiled. Good, they were awake. Right on time for breakfast. I heard them approach the front door, so I stopped them. As I expected, they didn't recognize me. When I told them who I was, I rode out the shock, keeping them listening to me. I chatted on and herded them into the kitchen, gabbling on and on.

The difference was confusing them, I could tell. They looked as if they didn't know me, and that was the way I wanted it at first. Eventually, they would accept who I was. I served up ham, shredded potatoes, and eggs for them both, as well as generous cups of cocoa. That cocoa held the sleeping powder, so I stirred it well before giving it to them. I ushered them to the table, still chatting to them about commonplace things. As long as I kept talking, they wouldn'thave time to put together a question.

"Aren't you two hungry?" I asked, seeing that they weren't eating. "You're not sick, are you?"

They both jumped, as if I had startled them.

"Okay, this is too strange," Ed said, getting up from his chair. "You say you're our mother. I don't think that's possible. Our mother died several years ago. You can't be our mother!"

I stared at him. "Edward," I began, "I don't know why you think I died. Did you have a bad dream last night? Don't worry, my little man. I'm not going anywhere."

I saw the use of the pet name shocked him, but I wasn't going to worry about that. It was in Trisha's memories. It would only convince him that what I said was true.

"Why don't you tell me about this dream?" I suggested. "And don't forget to eat. Your food's getting cold."

Alphonse picked up a fork, but he didn't eat. Nor did Edward. He just kept staring at me.

"You were dead," he insisted. "And we both took the exams to become State Alchemists. We wanted to find a way to bring you back, and we tried it, but the attempt failed. In the process, Al lost his body, and I lost my arm and leg. I bound his soul to a suit of armor, and I got automail from Winry and Aunt Pinako. So we tried becoming State Alchemists so we could find another way to fix what had happened. We were searching for the Philosopher's Stone, but it turns out we found a restorative that could reverse what had happened. The last thing I can remember is waking up in the dormitories at Central and seeing a stranger in our room. Then, we woke up here."

It was a very condensed version of what had happened, but it didn't matter. "That was some dream," I said, patting his hand. "Don't worry, love. You're awake now. Why don't you have something to eat? I think you'll feel better if you did."

He sank back into his chair and picked up his fork. He shook his head, and both boys looked confused, but everything was going perfectly. What was even better was that they both took a drink of cocoa. Soon, they would cease to question, and they would be mine.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Both brothers had no idea what to do. This woman said she was their mother, acted as if nothing was wrong, and she had fixed them breakfast as if she had done this every day of her life! Even at that moment, she was serving up more ham and even buttering some toast for them! Ed was certain that he was going to lose his mind, and Al looked too shocked to even think.

"Eat up, you two, and don't worry about your nightmares. You'll feel better once you wake up a little more," she said, depositing the toast on their plates.

Ed stared at the food on his plate. All of it looked delicious, but for the first time in his life, he wasn't starving or ready to tuck in. In fact, he felt a little bit queasy. He tried again. "How can you explain both of us having the same nightmare?" he demanded. "That's not normal for two people!"

The woman looked thoughtful. "Well, I've heard of twins sharing thoughts before. Who's to say that two brothers as close as you two are can't share thoughts as well? And dreams are similar to thoughts, aren't they?"

Ed didn't have an answer for this. For lack of something to do with nervous hands, he picked up his cocoa and took a gulp. It was good and sweet, just how he liked it. Just the way his mother had always made it for him. Too scared by that thought to even think about it, he gave himself a mental shake and set the cup aside.

The woman looked from one brother to the other, concerned over their lack of appetite. Just then, she heard the sound of a stomach growling.

Alphonse gave an apologetic wince. "Sorry."

"That's all right. You must be hungry. Go ahead and eat, now," she said, filling a plate for herself and beginning to eat. She saw Alphonse look at his brother, Ed's responding shrug, and then both brothers dug into the meal. Ed even had seconds of ham on toast. Still feeling unsettled, they helped her to clean up the kitchen, and when she sent them outside for some air, they went without a protest.

"I don't get it," Alphonse said as they went into the back garden. "I mean, she looks somewhat like Mom, talks like Mom, and acts like Mom, but we both know that Mom is dead."

Ed nodded. "I know. It's like we've woken up in another world where she isn't dead at all. And where are we now? What is this place? This isn't our house in Resembool. We burned it, so it can't be home. Where are we?"

Neither brother could tell. It was a plain, white stone house with a low wall around it, and it was just like any other house nearby. They could see that they were on the outskirts of a town, but beyond that, they couldn't tell where they were. They could be days away from any Command.

Alphonse sat down next to his brother. "Do you think it was all a dream?"

Ed shook his head. "No. I don't think it was. It couldn't have been." He pulled up the sleeve of his coat and looked at a scar on his arm. "I got this a few months ago, remember? If it had been a dream, I wouldn't have this now. It was real."

"Then why are we here? Why is _she_ here?" Alphonse wanted to know. "None of this is making sense."

Ed shrugged. "I don't know. We can leave now—she isn't watching us—but will leaving solve this mystery? Will it help us figure out who she is and how we ended up with her? I think we should know all we can know about her, but is it safe to stay to find out?"

"We haven't been hurt," Alphonse pointed out. "And we haven't been locked up or anything. I say we stay until later. If it gets dangerous, we can always go."

Ed nodded. Solemnly, the brothers shook hands, as if agreeing to see the whole thing through.

Space

Sloth:

I was overjoyed as I watched my boys agree with one another to stay. (I had been watching from a window.) If they weren't going to try to run away that day, then I didn't need to worry. I had plenty of time to get them used to me and wear down their resistance to their new situation. Once they accepted it, they would be much happier.

I was ready when they came inside. Ed was the first to speak.

"This isn't Resembool," he said, as if stating the obvious for a very slow child. "Where are we, and why are we here?"

I stared at him, pretending to be astonished. "You don't remember moving here?" I asked. "I was offered a job as a secretary here, so we came."

Al stared at me. "Mom never needed to work. Our father left plenty of money for her."

"He didn't leave as much as I thought, dear," I said, patting his shoulder. "That was why we came. We still go to Resembool, though, for a few weeks during the summer for a vacation."

Both of them stared at me.

"What do we usually do while you're at work?" Al asked, looking very confused.

"You have lessons. A teacher comes to the house and he teaches you. He's an old friend of your father's, and when he heard about your talent in alchemy, he volunteered to teach you. Don't you remember Mr. Hawkins?"

Both of them shook their heads.

"Well, maybe you'll remember him tomorrow, since tomorrow is Monday. He'll be here in the morning."

Again, both of them stared at me. I had a feeling that I would be getting that a lot from them until they grew used to the routine I had planned for them.

"How long have we been here?" Ed asked, still looking confused.

"About two years now," I said, smiling.

"What's the town called?" Al wanted to know.

"Celandon."

They blinked. Obviously, they hadn't expected me to be as forthcoming as I was (they still expected me to be a kidnapper) and they were surprised to get straight answers from me. I saw Al yawn, and I fought down a feeling of relief: the sleeping powder was beginning to work. The sleepier they were, the less thinking they would do, and the less thinking they did, the better.

Ed was in the middle of a question of how far Celandon was from HQ when he yawned as well. Al had sunk into a chair, and Ed allowed me to maneuver him into one as well.

"What's wrong with you two?" I asked, concerned. I looked them both over, checked for fever, and took their pulses. All unnecessary, since I knew what was wrong, but I did it anyway. I took Ed's hand in my right and Al's in my left and took them both back upstairs, where I quickly put them back to bed. "You must not have gotten all the sleep you needed last night. You two go ahead and rest, and I'll be along later to check on you."

By the time I reached the door, Al was already asleep, and I could see Edward fighting to keep his thoughts in order. He battled sleep for a moment, but he quickly lost and allowed his eyes to close. I smiled. My boys were safely asleep, and I was truly happy. They were not going to leave me any time soon.

Space

Ed woke up some time later, feeling as if his head weren't working quite right. He could remember all that their mother's look-alike had told them, and something still didn't make sense. If all she said were true, then why couldn't they remember coming to this town? Why did he have trouble remembering anything about their few years there? Why did he remember being a State Alchemist? Nothing was making any sense.

Stiffly, he got out of bed and pulled his coat on (she'd helped him out of it when they'd gone back to bed) and stretched, enjoying the feel of his blood flowing again. He felt a little more awake and a little more capable of dealing with this woman and her strangeness. Seeing Al was still asleep, he headed downstairs, looking for the woman, and he found her in the kitchen, making tea.

"Hello there, little man," she said, pouring tea for them both. "I thought I heard one of you get up. Do you feel better?"

"Yes," Ed said, sitting down at the table. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Only a few hours," she said. "I decided to make some tea. Perhaps it will wake you up."

Ed sipped at the tea, thinking. He wondered if she would let them go away from the house and into the town. If Central had spread word of their kidnapping in an effort to find them, then perhaps someone would recognize them and contact the military. That way, they would have the safety net of the army behind them while they tried to figure out who this woman was.

Al wandered in then, looking a little pale and tired. The woman also poured a cup of tea for him, and he took it, nodding his thanks. They were just finishing their tea when she spoke.

"I'm going to need some spices in order to make supper tonight, and the greengrocer here is open for a few hours on Sunday in the afternoon. Could you two run down there for me?"

"We'd be happy to," Ed answered.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Ed couldn't believe their luck when the strange woman posing as their mother asked them to go run an errand for her. They would be able to contact Mustang and gain permission to remain and investigate! Perfect!

"This should be enough," she said, counting out some money into Ed's hand. "And here's the list of what I need."

"Where is the greengrocer?" Al asked. "How do we get there?"

"Go towards the town, and when you reach the end of our street, go two blocks over and four up. It isn't far. The place is called Cesari's. Be careful crossing the streets, all right?"

"We will," Ed promised, sounding for all the world like a dutiful son. "Let's go, Al."

The two boys could feel her watching them as they walked down the street towards town, so they chatted about the weather until they were out of earshot. Once it was safe, they got down to business.

"So are we going to call Colonel Mustang?" Al asked, looking worried.

"Of course, but if we can't, we'll send him a telegram. We should have enough time for that as well as stopping at the greengrocer's. Also, we'll stop at a newsstand and see if there's been any news of our kidnappings. With me being a State Alchemist, I'm pretty sure that Central would not take our disappearances lightly. They've probably alerted the newspapers in an effort to find us, and they're probably really worried since we were kidnapped while I was off-duty. That isn't usual, so they would be pretty worried by now."

Al grinned. "With you being a State Alchemist, they would feel pretty sorry for whoever kidnapped you!"

Ed's smile faded. "Yeah, but the bad thing is, if it were just a normal kidnapper, I could beat him to a pulp, but this person who says she's our mother…"

Al's grin also faded. "Yeah." Then, a moment later, he yawned. "In spite of the nap, I'm still really tired."

"Me, too," Ed agreed. "I don't know why, though. I mean, we're getting plenty of rest."

"Do you think it's stress or something?" Al wanted to know.

Ed shrugged. "I don't know. All I really know is that I'm pretty tired of being tired."

Neither brother said anything more until they reached the greengrocer. Mr. Cesari was a plump, jolly old man, and he greeted the boys as if he had known them a long time. He filled their order, they paid him, and he bid them a good day and told them to come back soon.

"He seems to know us," Al said, surprised. "You don't think she could have been telling the truth, do you?"

Ed shook his head. "I don't think so. It's likely that he's that way with everybody. Keep your eyes open for a phone."

They didn't find a phone, but they did find a post office. Deciding to send a telegram, they went inside and spotted the thing they had given up hope of finding: a telephone. Ed ran straight to it, slipped in a coin, and gave the number to the operator. In moments, Ed heard the voice that he'd been hoping to hear.

"Mustang."

"Colonel!" Ed said, while Al celebrated with a silent cheer.

"Elric!" Mustang blurted in relief. "Where the hell are you! What happened! We've been looking for you for two days!"

"It's a long story, and it doesn't make sense," Ed said in an attempt to calm Mustang down. Ed could also hear noise in the background: several others he knew at Central clamoring for news about the boys. "We're in a town called Celandon, and the person who kidnapped us is a woman who's claiming to be our mother."

Silence.

"Colonel?" Ed said, hoping they hadn't been disconnected.

"I'm here. It's just that…your mother's dead, Edward. How can…?"

"I don't know. It's weird, I'll admit that. The only reason I'm talking to you now is because she asked us to go to the greengrocer's."

Silence again. "The greengrocer's?" Mustang said in shock. "That doesn't sound like a regular kidnapper."

"She's not. She even looks and sounds like our mother. We'd like your permission to remain here a few more days and investigate."

"Absolutely not!" Ed heard Hawkeye snap. "They have to get out of there!"

"Have you been hurt or threatened in any way, Edward?" Mustang wanted to know in an effort to placate Hawkeye. "Locked up?"

"Nope," Ed assured him. "She's been perfectly kind and loving to us. She even fixed us a huge breakfast this morning. The only thing that's wrong is that we're a little creeped out by her, that's all. And we're a little tired."

"Tired? How tired?" Mustang wanted to know. "Are you sick?"

"Well, after we got up this morning, we had to go back to bed and take a nap for a few hours, that's all. Can't really think straight for a long time, either. Too tired."

"That's not right," Mustang said, now sounding worried. "I know you, Ed--you have way too much energy. It's not normal for you to sleep unless you're taking one of your famous naps. And Al really doesn't nap."

"I know, and even though it's wierd, we still want to stay and find out about this lady," Ed insisted.

"All right, but we're going to send someone down in civilian clothes to help you out," Mustang insisted. "I'll feel better if he's there."

Ed muttered something, but agreed to it just the same. Both boys told Mustang goodbye and assured him that they would leave if anything happened or if the situation turned ugly. Leaving the post office, they headed back the way they had come.

Space

Sloth:

They were gone too long to just have gone to the greengrocer's, I knew that right away. Also, I knew that they would have taken the time to contact Mustang or someone else at Central. It didn't bother me. The military could come, but I wouldn't allow them to take my boys from me.

Ed and Al came back, coming straight into the kitchen with the parcels I had sent them to get. I asked after Mr. Cesari and thanked the boys for being so quick, and then I suggested they get out their books and look them over while I finished my work in the kitchen.

"Our books?" Ed echoed, looking confused.

"Your homework," I told them, pointing to the cabinet where I had everything ready. "I know that you still have an assignment to finish. Go ahead and finish that, and then we can go for a walk before dinner."

Both of them looked a little confused and tired, but they took out the books and began looking at the assignment. I had been very careful in making lots of little projects that could occupy their time, and they were designed to be helpful but complicated enough to keep them occupied. While I bustled about the kitchen, I heard them both discussing the current project and suggesting different ways of solving the problem it presented. I served soup and sandwiches for their lunch an hour later, and they looked up long enough to thank me and then turned their attention back to their work. They were too caught up in what they were doing to do more than vaguely acknowledge me, but that was how I liked it. As long as they didn't start thinking about me and how things weren't as they should be, I wasn't going to complain.

They finished their assignment (which was transmuting several elements together to form steel) and while our supper simmered on the stove, we went out for our promised walk. That was when the questions came. Did they have any friends in the town? Why did they have a tutor? They'd never had one before and they didn't feel they needed one. Weren't they capable enough alchemists to work on their own? Where in town did I work? What was the name of my employer? When did I work exactly?

I answered every question. I told them that they'd kept pretty much to themselves, so no, they didn't have any real friends. They had a tutor because he'd been teaching them for the time that we'd been in the town. Of course, they were very capable, that was why he gave them assignments they could work on their own. I worked at the bank, and was secretary to the director, Mr. Holden. I went to work every morning at nine and came back at five in the evening, just like I always did.

"What's with all the questions?" I asked, leading my way up a hill outside of town. "You two act as if you haven't been here at all!"

Edward gave me a strange look. "Well, who knows?" he said, looking thoughtful. "Maybe we were in the middle of an experiment and managed to transport ourselves into a parallel world where you weren't dead. I mean, I've read of alchemists disappearing and then coming back years later talking about strange worlds they've traveled to. Maybe this is one of them. We feel as if this is our first day here." I saw Al nodding in agreement.

"Still thinking about the nightmare of my death and your being a State alchemist?" I asked, ruffling my boys' hair. "Edward, you have to stop worrying so much about a dream."

"It didn't feel like a dream," Al protested. "It really didn't. I mean, both of us remember the same things and the same people."

"That's right," Edward agreed. "I mean, I can remember everything that happened, and that doesn't happen in dreams. You just see random images and things like that."

"Hmm," I said, trying to look thoughtful. Actually, I was trying to keep panic from overwhelming me. They were asking too many questions and they were thinking too much! Once they started thinking too much, they would come to the conclusion that I couldn't be their mother and they would leave! What could I do to keep them with me?

"Well," I said, giving them a warm smile. "Whether you're from this world or another or if you're dreaming or awake, you're still my boys."

That surprised both of them, and I saw reluctant smiles growing. I chatted with them, giving them no chance to ask further questions or even approach the topic of their previous lies and led them back to the house as the sun began to set. Our supper would be ready, and I could tell that they would be hungry. Once back at the house, I served up stew and fresh, hot bread. Both my boys managed to polish off two plates each of stew, but I encountered a little problem with Edward when I poured some milk for the both of them.

"Um, I don't like milk," he said, eyeing the full mug with distaste.

This was a problem. A big problem, in fact. The sleeping powder was in the milk! He had to drink it or his mind would become much clearer than it was. What to do? Fortunately, Al came to my rescue unknowingly.

"Oh, just drink the dumb milk, brother," he said, wiping off his moustache. "She's already poured it for you."

Ed glared at his brother, but he grabbed the cup and swallowed it down. He made a face and gave a huge sigh of relief. Al gave him a thumbs-up.

"Just don't expect me to drink it every day," Ed told his brother, waggling a finger.

Once we had cleaned up from supper, we all settled in the living room together and listened to the radio until it was dark and the boys had trouble keeping their eyes open. I sent them off to bed, but seeing them having trouble moving up the stairs, I helped them to their room and put them to bed myself, enjoying the fact that they needed my help. My boys were asleep as soon as their heads touched their pillows, and I left them in bed, secure in the knowledge that they would stay another day.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Boys! Time to get up!"

Ed cracked one eye open and winced at the sunlight streaming in the window. Giving a little groan, he rolled over and pulled the blankets over his head. He didn't want to get up. He didn't even want to _move_; he was so tired and cloudy-headed.

"Your breakfast is getting cold!"

Ed heard Al roll over and make a little sound that sounded like 'umph.' Apparently, his brother didn't want to get up, either.

"Boys!"

He put his pillow over his head, trying to block out the very insistent voice that was trying to get them out of their oh-so-comfortable beds. He peeked at Al and saw that he had done the same thing. Nope, neither one of them would be moving any time soon.

Someone was knocking at the door. "Boys? It's time to get up, now." The door opened, and he heard whoever it was come close and sit down on the edge of his bed. In the next moment, he felt someone rubbing his back, just as his mother used to do when she wanted him to wake up and have a good start to the day. "Come on, my little man. Time to get up and get ready for the day, sweetheart."

That did it. He was fully awake, and he remembered that he and Al were with a woman who claimed she was their mother. He sat up and looked at her, and he realized that she looked more like Trisha than ever.

She smiled and smoothed his mussed hair. "Good morning, love. Sleep well?"

"Uhh…yeah," he said, feeling a little weird. "I slept fine, thanks."

She gave him another smile and moved to Al's bed, where she also gave _his_ back a little rub to wake him up. Once she was satisfied that they were both awake, she told them that breakfast was ready and that they should come down once they were dressed and ready to eat. She left, and Ed and Al turned to each other.

"Do you feel all right?" Ed asked his brother.

"Tired, but beyond that, I'm fine," Al told him, fighting off a yawn. "You?"

"Tired," Ed admitted. "Still tired. I don't get it."

Without saying anything else, they took turns in the bathroom across the hall, washed up, and dressed, with Ed still braiding his hair on the way down the stairs. As they reached the kitchen, the aroma of pancakes reached their noses and made their mouths water.

"Hope you're hungry," she said, placing a stack of pancakes on the table. "There's plenty. You two go ahead and start, I have to finish getting ready for work."

The boys sat down and stared at the pancakes. They were…fat. Very fat.

"What kind of pancakes are these, brother? They're huge," Alphonse said, as he picked one up with his fork. "And heavy!"

"It looks like there's something in them," Ed said, taking one for himself. Cautiously, he took a bite, and he smiled. "Oh, there's apples in it! Oh, this is good!"

That was all Alphonse needed to dig in. He loved apples when they had been cooked! Also, she had put in a bit of cinnamon! Oh, his tongue had died and gone to Heaven!

Ed polished off two pancakes while Al stuffed himself on three, and by the time they were sitting back in their chairs, she was back, dressed in a nice suit for work.

"Well, you two were certainly hungry!" she said, smiling. "Did you like them? They're from a new recipe."

"They were great," Ed said, giving her a little smile to let her know that they really were. She returned it and sat down and had some breakfast herself, but only after she had poured a glass of milk for Al and a glass of juice for Ed.

"I remembered," she said, referring to the milk. "But I really wish you would drink it, Edward. It helps you grow, and you want to be nice and tall, don't you?"

Ed blinked. "Uh, yeah," he said, shooting Al a look that said _Don't you say a thing!_

Once breakfast was finished, they cleaned up, and she jotted a few things down on a pad of paper. Ed could see that it was a telephone number and the name of her boss.

"If you two should need anything during the day, just call this number and ask for Mr. Holden. Our telephone is in the hallway over there. Once he picks up, ask for me," she said, jotting something else down. "Instructions for Mr. Hawkins' and your lunch, and I'll see you both tonight. Mr. Hawkins will be here in half an hour, all right?" So saying, she gave both of them a kiss on top of the head and left, turning once to wave goodbye as they watched from the window.

"Half an hour until that teacher comes," Ed said, sounding very satisfied. "Just enough time to snoop a bit. Come on, Al."

"What are we snooping for?" Al asked as they headed up the stairs.

"Anything to help us find out who this woman really is," Ed told him as they started opening doors. Two led to their room and the bathroom, and another opened on a very normal linen closet. The last led to her room.

It was a nice, feminine room: Just the sort of room a kid could expect a mom to have. Bed, dresser, end tables, and a rug. There was also a hanging bookshelf that was full of nice, normal books. On top of the dresser sat a dish of potpurri and an arrangement of dried flowers. Nothing too suspicious in that.

"Start opening drawers," Ed said, heading to the dresser. "Look under the bed. Look everywhere you can. There has to be something here!"

They rifled through the drawers, feeling a little odd at going through a strange woman's things. Whenever they found clothing, they were very careful not to leave it messy, but even after they had checked all of the drawers and under the bed, they could find nothing. When they examined the books, they found that they were nothing more than copies of their mother's favorite novels. There was nothing to be found, and nothing to say that she wasn't really their mother. In fact, all evidence they had found pointed to the contrary. There was even a pictureof them when they had been younger. How could she have that, if she were not who she claimed to be?

"I don't get it," Ed said as they headed back downstairs. "I mean, we know she's not our mother. There's no way she can be. But she still manages to play the part perfectly, and she even has all of the right things, like the books she liked and she even has the same style of clothes as Mom. She says she's our mother, but she's not our mother!"

"Are you all right, brother?" Al asked after getting a good look at Ed's face. He was near some kind of breaking point.

"I'm just...freaked out, I guess. She shouldn't be so...perfect, but she is. It's like Mom came back after all, even after that failed transmutation."

Ed sank down on the bottom step, lost in thought, and Al joined him. They didn't notice the passage of time until someone knocked on the door. Feeling a little nervous (not knowing what this teacher would be like), Ed opened the door.

"Good morning, Edward," the man standing there said. "Good to see you. And Al, how are you?"

"Fine, thanks," Al said automatically. "Are you Mr. Hawkins?"

Mr. Hawkins gave a blink of surprise, but he covered it quickly. "Well, of course I am. Your mother was right about your being confused. She said it was a bad dream? Well, don't worry, I have yet to see a nightmare come true." He entered the hallway and hung up his coat, giving the boys a smile. "Did you do your homework?"

"Oh, yes, we did," Ed said, remembering what it was they had done the night before. "It's in the dining room."

"Well, let's go take a look at it," Mr. Hawkins said, leading the way. Not knowing what else they could do, the boys followed.

What came next was an alchemy lesson of the likes that they had not had since they had studied with Izumi. He asked them questions; what had they done, why had they done it that way, could they describe the transmutation process and what had taken place in the alchemical reaction, and, if they had to, would they be able to use the same process in another situation or with different materials?

By half-past eleven, both boys felt as if their brains had become wrung sponges. They couldn't think anymore if they tried.

"Well, that's all for right now," Mr. Hawkins said, giving the boys a wink. "Time to get lunch ready for the three of us."

It was clear Mr. Hawkins had done this before. He went right to where the woman had left the instructions for their lunch, read the note, and then carried it into the kitchen. With brisk efficiency, he stoked the oven, located the covered dish that had been set out for them, and set everything ready.

"Do you always eat with us?" Al asked, surprised that Mr. Hawkins knew everything so exactly.

"It's my pay," Mr. Hawkins said, giving a little smile. "I won't take payment, since you're the sons of a friend, but your mother wished to do something for me in exchange for my teaching, so we devised this. I love homecooked meals, but I'm a confirmed bachelor, so I didn't often get such meals until I started teaching you. This makes us both happy, your mother and I."

Neither boy commented on that. When asked, they set the table and poured drinks while Mr. Hawkins made sure the food was heating up. Once it was hot, they sat down to eat. It was some kind of stew, and it was good. It tasted exactly like the stew their mother had made, which didn't do anything for Ed's peace of mind. In fact, he felt even edgier. She was so perfectly their mother, but they both knew she couldn't be.

After lunch was over and they had cleaned up, Mr. Hawkins took them for a walk outside town, all the while lecturing how nature was connected to alchemy, and how one could be used to influence the other. Mr. Hawkins was in the middle of describing how a leaf unfurling could be likened to a very slow reaction when a train sounded its whistle. Ed looked and saw it passing over the tracks leading into town, just on the hill above them. He was about to turn his attention away when it turned and he was able to see into one of the windows. He grabbed Al's arm and gave a jerk of his head to point which way to look. Al looked, and he felt a smile starting. While Mr. Hawkins continued his lecture about how a leaf transmuted itself in the fall, Al leaned over to whisper to Ed.

"It looks like one wasn't enough. Major Armstrong _and _Colonel Mustang had to come. This should be interesting."

Ed smiled, agreeing with his brother.

Sloth:

After I had left the house, I waited until I got out of sight before changing into Mr. Hawkins. They had to have someone with them, and I wasn't able to find a teacher who would be willing to go along with my little charade. Certainly whomever I tried to hire would report me to the authorities as a mad woman who played games with her sons' minds! No, that wasn't acceptable. So, I became a teacher and went back to the house. Was I worried they would try to call the bank to talk to me? No, they would have no reason to, so I didn't need to worry. Mr. Holden had never even met me, except when I opened an account at the bank. Thanks to certain friends, I had plenty of money and did not need to worry about finances.

I greeted the boys warmly after they opened the door, and I could tell that they had been up to something. I'd have to find out what, but it could wait. We had our indoor lesson before lunch (a lunch that included a little sleeping powder), and after lunch we headed outside. I was in the middle of lecturing about leaves and how they changed when the train went by. What I saw made me clench my teeth.

Major Armstrong and Colonel Mustang were on that train in civilian clothes. They had come to take my boys from me.

Oh, that was not going to happen.

Seeing that the sleeping powder was taking effect, I asked the boys if they were all right. When they both admitted to being very tired all of a sudden, I suggested we go back to the house and having them lay down to rest. We could always finish our lesson the next day, I said. They agreed to this, and I led them back home, taking them upstairs and putting them in their beds. As I closed their bedroom door, I smiled. Major Armstrong and Colonel Mustang would definitely have a hard time finding my boys when they were asleep in bed!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Ed lay curled up in bed and tried to think. He and Al had been put to bed by Mr. Hawkins, who'd said that their mother would be home in a little while and that they should stay in bed. Ed wanted to groan. His head was none too clear and he was having the worst time focusing his thoughts, but he had to think.

The more time they spent in this house, the more tired they became. That was clear. If he became much more tired he wouldn't be able to think or plan at all, and their safety might depend on their wits. Yet, they knew nothing about her, and that was worrisome. They didn't know who she really was, how she'd brought them there or why, or if she had kidnapped them under someone else's instructions. Ed was a State Alchemist, and State Alchemists weren't always the safest of people. There were plenty of groups out there who worked against the State and he knew that any of those groups would consider it quite a coup to kidnap a State Alchemist and hold him for ransom. That was the problem, though. This woman hadn't asked for ransom, and she'd told them where they were and even gave them a chance to contact people by letting them go out on their own. Ergo, she wasn't your run-of-the-mill kidnapper.

But what was she, though? What did she want? Why did she pretend to be their mother?

None of it made any sense.

Fighting against his stronger inclination to curl up and close his eyes, Ed pulled himself out of bed and moved to Al's side, shaking him.

"What?" his little brother moaned, cracking open one eye.

"Come on, Al, we have to find Colonel Mustang and Major Armstrong," Ed said, fighting off a yawn.

"I'm tired, Brother," Al complained, sitting up. "Can't we rest a little more?"

"Not if we want to see them today," Ed told him. "Besides, that woman's not here yet. We can go and come back before she comes. I'll feel better if we've spoken with them before tonight."

"All right," Al muttered, but he got up and pulled on his shoes. Together, the boys made their way downstairs and out onto the street and headed for town. They passed the greengrocer's and the post office and they were passing a sidewalk café when Ed heard someone call his name. He turned, and there were the Colonel and Major, sitting there with cups of coffee.

"That was easy," Ed remarked as he took a seat at their table and Al sat beside him. "It's good to see you guys."

"How are you two feeling?" Major Armstrong asked, looking with concern at the two boys.

"We're both tired," Ed told him. "Really sleepy all the time. Don't know why."

"Maybe she's giving you something in your food?" Colonel Mustang suggested. "That could be why you're so tired."

"Yeah, but how are we going to explain suddenly losing our appetites to her?" Al asked, putting his head down on the table. "The only way we'd be able to avoid taking whatever it is would be to stop eating, and that's kind of impossible. And why would she do that anyway?"

"To keep you under control," Mustang told him. "It's easier to control two active young boys if they spend most of their time asleep."

"Makes sense," Ed said, fighting to keep his eyes open. "Part of me is telling me to get away from here now, but another part of me wants to find out what she wants with us, who she is, and why she kidnapped us."

"How about we limit our stay here to a week, and whether you've found out anything or not, we go once the week's up," Armstrong suggested, signaling to a waiter. He ordered two cups of coffee for the boys, feeling certain that it would help them to wake up some. Half-asleep Elrics weren't going to get them far in this investigation.

Once the boys had had some coffee, they did seem to wake up a bit. They discussed a plan where the boys would stay with the woman until they'd learned something and they decided that the boys would send a signal or message to the two adults once they were ready to leave. If there was any problem, the boys were to get away from that house immediately and find the two alchemists in their hotel, from which they would board a train and head back to Central.

"We'll walk you back part of the way," Colonel Mustang said, getting to his feet. "I want to see where this house is. I'll feel better if I do."

Neither boy argued as they led the way back. A block from the house they stopped, pointed it out to the two men, and walked the last block on their own. As soon as they opened the door, however, they realized that they were in trouble. She stood in the kitchen doorway, hands on her hips, and she was glaring at them.

"Mr. Hawkins told me that you two were in bed upstairs," she said, angrily tapping her foot. "Now, imagine my shock and worry when I realized those two beds were empty! Where have you two been, and why didn't you let me know where you were going?"

"Ah, we thought that we'd be back before you got home," Ed explained, standing in front of Al to shield him, just in case.

"And where did you go?"

"Just to town," Ed said, trying to make it seem like it was nothing big. "We were both a little tired of lying around in bed, and we figured a walk would do us good. It did, too. We both feel better."

What happened next was so unexpected that neither boy knew what to do. Within a moment she had knelt and enveloped them both in a hug. "Next time, don't scare me like that," she said. "Please."

"Um, sure," Ed said at last, too surprised to do or say anything else.

She let them both go at last and stood up. "Well, since you're both feeling better, you can help me get supper together."

Neither boy had to ask if she were punishing them or still angry. No, she was reacting to her fright by keeping them close to her, so neither brother protested. She could always send them to their room or something similar, so helping in the kitchen wasn't too bad.

Supper was a chicken, mushroom, and rice casserole, and both brothers were very hungry. Unfortunately, they remembered what Major Armstrong had suggested about the drug being in their food, so they didn't eat as much as they wanted, nor did they eat more than what would just make them slightly sleepy.

"Are you two all right?" she asked as they washed up afterwards. "You didn't eat very much."

Ed shrugged. "I'm stuffed."

"Me, too," Al insisted.

"Well, if you feel all right…" she said doubtfully, looking at them as if to see if something were wrong.

"Just getting a little tired, but then, it's been a long day," Ed said, pretending to feel tired so she wouldn't be suspicious.

It seemed to work, and she suggested they go to bed early. They endured a good night kiss from her and went upstairs, making sure their door was firmly closed to make sure she couldn't hear them.

"What do you think?" Ed asked, wishing he had a sandwich or something up here with him. He was still starved!

"I think Major Armstrong was right about the food," Al said, sounding very regretful. "I'm sleepy, but I'm not as tired as I was. My head's clearer, too."

"Yeah. Scary, isn't it? A lady who says she's our mother who drugs us at every meal."

Both brothers looked at one another, and Al was the first to give vent to his feelings. Ed, not wishing to see Al cry, sat down beside his brother and put his arm around him in an attempt to calm him.

"Why?" Al blurted. "What does she want from us, and why did she bring us here? Why is she doing this to us?"

"I don't know, and I wish I did," Ed said, trying to calm himself and Al down. "We'll figure it out, I promise you, and then we'll be able to go on with our lives and forget all about this."

"Brother, no offense, but this is going to be very hard to forget."

"I know," Ed admitted sadly. "But we can handle this. We've been able to handle everything else the world's thrown at us, and we can handle this. Let's get some rest, Al, and then we'll work on finding stuff out."

They went to bed after that, and Ed waited until Al was asleep before getting up. He had to do some investigating, and the whole situation was hard enough on Al without having to sneak around. He would let his younger brother get some sleep while he worked on finding out things. Hopefully, he would be able to learn enough so that they could leave in the morning. This house was getting too risky for them both.

He crept down the hall to the woman's bedroom, certain that she was still downstairs. He could hear the radio playing very softly, so it was likely that she was down there listening to it. He reached her door and slipped inside the room, certain that there was something in there that would tell him who she really was and what she wanted with them. He checked under all the furniture, in all the books, and he was just heading toward the closet when a floorboard creaked behind him, making him whip around.

"Where did you come from?" he yelped, staring at her.

She gave him a cold smile and advanced until he was backed up against the wall. For the first time since waking up in her house, Ed was afraid of this woman.

"What are you doing in here, Edward?" she asked, pushing his braid back over his shoulder. "Hmmm? More importantly, why aren't you sleeping? Al is asleep."

"I was looking for something to read, and I've read everything in our room," he lied quickly, hoping that she wasn't good at detecting lies.

She smiled, raising an eyebrow. "You're lying to me, Edward, and hoping that I won't realize it, aren't you? What's the real reason?"

"Umm…" He didn't know what to tell her that she would believe. He didn't know why, but he was becoming more frightened by the moment.

"Maybe you really wanted to talk to me since you couldn't sleep," she said, stepping back, and Ed let out a sigh of relief.

"Well, kind of," he said, pouncing on the way out she'd given him.

She gave him an odd smile. "Well, since you can't sleep, I'll tell you a story. Maybe after that you'll feel like being a good boy and going to bed."

Ed gritted his teeth. This woman was so weird! One moment it seemed like she was going to kill him and the next, she was treating him like a naughty kid! What was she really, dangerous woman or loving mom?

She sat down on the edge of the bed and patted a spot next to her, inviting him to sit down. As soon as he sat, she put a blanket around him. "So you won't be cold," she said. "Now, what kind of story shall I tell you? Oh, I know. One about two little boys."

Ed resigned himself to being polite and listening to her. After a few sentences, he realized that this story was beginning to sound very, very familiar.

"Once, not so long ago, there were two little boys who lived with their mother in a tiny town out in the country. They loved one another very, very much. Both little boys were very smart, and they had a talent for alchemy, which their mother encouraged. Unfortunately, their mother was sick, and before long, she died. The boys were heartbroken, and they wanted nothing more than to bring her back," she stopped then and looked at him. "What's the matter, Edward?"

"N-nothing," Ed stammered, wondering where she was going with this.

"Well, if nothing's wrong, then I'll continue," she said, giving him yet another odd smile. "After their mother's death, the boys studied with a teacher, intending to learn enough to bring their mother back from the dead. Once they had learned all they could, they returned to their home and they gathered all they would need to bring her back. Now, the older brother was the one who had had the idea to bring their mother back, so he began the alchemy that night despite the fact that it was forbidden. He cared only about his mother and having her again. Unfortunately, something went wrong, and he learned why it was forbidden."

Ed fought down shivers. Oh, this was awful, but she continued, oblivious to his discomfort.

"The younger brother lost his body, taken in equivalent exchange for his mother, and the older brother lost his leg. In the center of the transmutation circle there lay something, and the older brother, thinking it was his mother, crawled toward it. When he saw what it was, he screamed and backed away, horrified by what he had made. He worked other alchemy to bind his brother's soul to a suit of armor, and to get his brother's soul back he lost his arm in equivalent exchange. The brothers worked very slowly to get their lives back together and move on. They burned their home, and the older brother became a State Alchemist in order to find a way to restore his younger brother's body. They managed this, and they continued with their lives, and neither brother ever thought about what they had made that night."

"How do you know all this?" Ed demanded, shaking and wishing he could get his legs to work. He was shaking so hard he couldn't move.

"Hush, dear, I'm not finished yet," she said, laying a finger across his lips to quiet him. "That's not the end of the story. What neither brother knew was that they had succeeded in some odd way, but the creature they had made was not their mother. It was a sort of copy of her, and it had her memories. At first, it was convinced that she _was_ their mother, and she was shocked and hurt that her elder son had screamed and backed away from her when all she wished was to take him in her arms. Slowly, while the brothers stayed at a neighbor's that night so the older brother's injuries could be cared for, the creature crept away from the house and to a place in the woods where she would be safe. The creature finished forming and realized just what it was and who its creators were and why they had made her. She had a purpose from that, and wherever the boys went, she followed them in some form, making sure they were all right. She couldn't help loving them and watching over them, but she suppressed those urges. However, those urges grew stronger with each passing day, and one day she couldn't bear not being their mother any longer. Disguising herself, she took them both to a little house she'd bought, and she wished to keep them there with her and be the mother that the boys had wished to bring back."

Ed made it to his feet and ran to the door, but she was much faster than he was and made it there first, blocking his way. Horrified, Ed backed away, looking desperately for another exit.

"Now, don't you think that naughty little boy who performed forbidden alchemy should take some responsibility for his actions?" she asked, advancing. "After all, he created me, and he gave me a purpose. Shouldn't he allow me to fulfill that purpose?"

"You're…you're that thing?" Ed gasped in disbelief. "But it wasn't even human! How can you look like you do now?"

She chuckled. "Weren't you listening? I wasn't fully formed when you saw me. I am now, though. Don't I look just like your mother? Sound like her? Act like her? I even use your old pet name, don't I, my little man?"

"But you're not her!" Ed cried, not noticing the tears running down his face. He was terrified, and he was far too frightened to worry about or notice them.

The woman shook her head. "No, I'm not, but I'm as close as you're going to get," she said, stepping even closer while Edward backed away. "You wanted your mother back, and now you have something very like her, and that something is more than happy to be her for you and your brother."

Ed could only shake his head and stare at her, horrified.

"Why not let me be your mother, Edward? Why not? I've seen you wish for your mother countless times, and I've seen you wish you could be just a plain child again even more. No State Alchemist duties, no worry about who's going to take care of Al, and no worry about all the intrigue that goes on in the State. Think about it, Ed. All you've ever wanted can be yours if you just accept me," she told him, stepping forward until he was again against a wall and unable to go anywhere else. "Why not, hmm? I can tell that's what you want. Right now you want it so much it hurts. Why not end the pain?"

"Because it would be a lie," he gasped out, fighting off sobs.

"I don't think so," she said. "You brought a mother back who cares for you and Al. What would be the lie in that?"

"Because you're not our mother," Ed sobbed, losing the battle to keep from crying outright. His legs gave way and she caught him, lifting him in her arms a moment later and carrying him to the bed, where she sat down and held him while he cried. He cried so hard the entire bed shook, but she held him as gently as if he were made of fragile glass and might break at any moment.

"I can be, and I'm more than willing to be," she said, smoothing his hair in a calming gesture. "Just _let_ me be so, Edward, that's all I ask. Let me mother you and love you."

"You're not human," Ed said, not willing to pull away from her. "You can't be. What are you, a homunculus?"

She nodded. "I am, but there's one good thing about that. I can't get sick, and I can't die. You won't lose me."

Those words reminded Ed of his mother's death, and the memories of that were too much on top of the emotional storm he'd been undergoing. He let himself cry then as he hadn't cried for years. He let out all his anguish and worry and grief, and even when that was spent, the sobs kept coming. All the while she held him and rocked him back and forth, just as his mother had done when he'd been little and overwhelmed by some childish grief. Finally, the flood of tears reduced itself to a river, and then a trickle. She wiped his face with a handkerchief and gave him a warm smile. "That's better, isn't it, my little man?"

Unable to speak, he nodded.

"I'm going to put you in your bed now," she said, standing up and carrying him out of the room. "You go to sleep and in the morning we'll tell Al and talk some more, all right?"

She tucked him in and gave him a kiss on the forehead before going to Al and doing the same to him. As she left, she turned in the doorway and said, "Good night, little man. See you in the morning."

"Good night," Ed said softly as the door closed. Once her footsteps had faded away he began to count. Once he'd counted out an hour, he started over and counted another hour. When that hour was done, he got out of bed and dressed after waking Al and telling him that they had to leave. Al did not ask questions, but he dressed as quickly as his brother did. Together, they managed to climb out their window, and only when they reached the street did Al ask where they were going and why they were going in the middle of the night.

"We're leaving," Ed told him. "We have to. It's too dangerous to stay here any longer. She's a homunculus, Al, and she's centered on us."

"What?" Al gasped, stopping in his tracks. "But why?"

"I'll tell you once we see the major and colonel. I don't want to have to tell it more than once."

Space

"So, Full Metal, what was so important that you felt you had to tell us at one in the morning?" Colonel Mustang growled. He, the Elrics, and Major Armstrong were in the soldiers' hotel room, drinking tea in an effort to keep awake.

Ed set aside his tea and took a deep breath. He was not looking forward to this. "You know what we did, Colonel, that night you came to Risembool. That failed transmutation. It failed to bring our mother back, but it did not fail to produce something."

Al looked at him, not understanding. "Brother?"

"That woman is a homunculus, and she's the result of that transmutation. That's why she's so much like our mother. Homunculi are like copies or echoes of the person you are trying to transmute, and they'll have some of that person's memories and personality as well. But, as we've learned, they're also dangerous. Unpredictable. Her urge to be our mother became so strong that she kidnapped us and brought us here in order to get us away from the State. This place is kind of small and isolated. The military wouldn't think to look for us here. She's also been drugging us, just like you guys thought she was."

Al stared at him. "But if she has Mom's memories and personality..."

"Would Mom kidnap us or drug us?"

"No," Al admitted.

"Then she's not our mother, Al," Ed said, shivering. "Although..."

Major Armstrong looked at him sympathetically. "Although?"

"Although I wish she was!" Ed gasped, and next thing he knew, he was sobbing.

Al's arms went around him, supporting him, and despite being the elder brother, Ed flung himself onto Al's shoulder and let himself cry for the second time that night. This period of crying didn't last as long as the first one, and he was calmer a lot quicker than he had been earlier.

"What the hell's wrong with me?" he said at last, accepting a handkerchief from Major Armstrong. "All of a sudden I'm a crybaby!"

Colonel Mustang, just _itching_ to make a comment, kept his mouth shut only Herculean effort and staunch determination. It was Major Armstrong who offered a reason.

"You have been through a lot the past few days, and all of those emotions have to come out somehow," he said gently. "There's nothing wrong with crying."

Ed didn't answer, but he thought about it.

"Well, sitting around isn't getting us back to Central," he said, standing up and stretching. "I'm going to go make some arrangements for a car to take us to the next large town and then we'll take the train. Try to get some rest, you two," he told the Elrics. "Major, you're on guard duty until I get back."

The major stood up very straight and saluted. "Sir!" Once the colonel was gone, Ed and Al were bedded down in Major Armstrong's room for a quick nap. They fell asleep for maybe a half-hour, which was how long before the colonel came back, saying the car was waiting and they had to leave that minute. Once they were in the car, the boys went back to sleep, and the two men carried them onto the train, letting them sleep. They were on their way back to Central.

Once they got there, however, they would have to think of what to do about the homunculus.


End file.
